Affordable Automatic Watches: Three For Under RM3,000

Fancy a his-and-hers? This Claude Bernard beauty is classy, elegant, and totally unisex. Housed in a 39mm steel case with minimalist dial, the watch’s Swiss-made automatic movement can be seen through the transparent caseback. Roman numerals and a black leather strap give the piece a classic spin.

Vostok Europe Almaz Bronze – RM2,700

In case you didn’t know, bronze watches are all the rage. The material is beloved for its changing patina over time, this Vostok option is paired with an eye-catching emerald dial. It’s also inspired by the Russian space programme, Almaz, which was part of a super secret Soviet military space station programme started in the 1960s.

Arbutus Exclusive Movement AR915 Power Reserve – RM1,790 (approx.)

Refined and stately, this Arbutus timepiece features an exclusive automatic movement with a power reserve indicator at six o’clock and date display below the 12 o’clock marker. This version also has dress watch appeal with its rose gold-IP case and chocolate croc-embossed leather strap.

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Like most people these days, Melissa tells the time with her phone. She considers serious timepieces works of art and thinks the perpetual calendar is the handiest complication to date (pun not intended). She's also a Grammar Nazi but promises not to judge if you can't tell the difference between "guilloche" and "guillotine".